Police said Holt asked Heichel for a ride on Oct. 16 then ordered her at gunpoint to drive to an area near Roslyn Lake in Clackamas County. There he sexually assaulted her, shot her four times then dumped her body on Larch Mountain.

Holt is scheduled for trial in April. By pleading guilty, Holt can avoid a death sentence. He is likely to serve a true life sentence.

It's possible he could receive a life sentence with a possibility of parole after 30 years. Given the nature of his crimes, it is unlikely Holt would get the lesser sentence.

According to a search warrant affidavit, Holt told officers he had previously entered Heichel's apartment and stole an iPhone. Gresham police also found images of child pornography on external computer hard drives they seized from Holt's backpack.

It isn't clear whether the Multnomah County charges would be dropped if Holt pleads guilty to the murder.